Governors Island Art Fair to Close 9/28

4heads's 7th Annual Governors Island Art Fair - 100 rooms of paintings, photography, sculpture, installation, video and sound art exhibited in abandoned military barracks on New York's historic Governors Island - closes 28 September, leaving only two weekends left to catch this critically-acclaimed artist-run art fair. GIAF is free and open to the public Saturdays and Sundays now through 28 September and is easily accessible by regular ferries from downtown Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront.

Every year since 2008, the 4heads jury carefully sifts through a sea of energetic and compelling proposals from New York and around the world, giving each of the top 100 selected a full room in the island's historic landmarked Army and Coast Guard housing.

Run by artists for artists, New York's largest independent exhibition entered its 7th year this fall. Now an established event of New York's art calendar, 4heads organizers are excited that the spirited end-of-summer fair still maintains its mission of giving dynamic talent from around the world unique spaces to showcase their work (and wreak havoc) as they see fit. "We believe artists know what is best for their own work and Governors Island gives participating artists the space to create these special environments," the 4heads founders explain.

Room after room unfolds with surprising and captivating installations throughout the former homes of military officers and their families. Manifesting various states of decay, the buildings seem to tell stories of their own, adding a thought-provoking second narrative to the artwork presented in the now decommissioned and re-energized spaces.

2014 highlights include Sui Park's organic and architectural Thought Bubbles, Will Kurtz's playful Artie and Lenny, Harsha Biswajit's video sculpture The Animal is Absent, Randy Polumbo's whimsical glass and industrial metal Two Flower, Katte Geneta's mediative chalk-and-volcanic ash drawing Cosmos No. 3, and Laetitia Soulier's toylike dreamworld Square Roots.

A complete list of exhibitors along with images can be found on the event website, www.4heads.org. GIAF is supported by BLICK, proudly championing creativity at GIAF, throughout New York and nationwide.

GIAF also features independent galleries, encouraging the dialogue between artists and art dealers. In addition, GIAF continues to expand the conversation by partnering this season with collectives like the Gowanus Swim Society.

GIAF partners with Ben Cohen - co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - to bring his one-of-a-kind stampmobile to Governors Island to help stamp money out of politics. Located in and amongst the outdoor sculptures dotting GIAF's sprawling green space, Cohen's Amazing Amend-O-Matic StampMobile, a giant Rube Goldberg money stamping machine on wheels, builds support for a constitutional amendment to get big money out of politics by legally stamping messages like "Not to Be Used for Bribing Politicians" on paper currency.

Outside the buildings are sculpture, food and drink, and many other Governors Island sights and events. Visit www.4heads.org for regular updates.

GIAF's ArtShop provides would-be art collectors with an opportunity to get their collecting feet wet by starting with small and affordable works and prints by exhibiting artists. Everything in the shop is under $200.00. The ArtShop also offers art books, tees and exhibition catalogues, and is located in Building 404A.

GIAF is located in five stunning, brick buildings in Colonel's Row on Governors Island, with panoramic views of Manhattan and the harbor. Governors Island is accessible by a 7-minute ferry ride from both the Battery Maritime Building (10 South Street) in Lower Manhattan and from Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 6 (at the end of Atlantic Avenue, at Columbia Street) in Brooklyn. Brooklyn Ferry only runs on weekends. Both Brooklyn and Manhattan ferries are free before noon and $2 thereafter for a round-trip ticket. For further information call 212.673.9074 or visitwww.4heads.org. Visitors can also take the East River Ferry service to Governors Island for $6. For a full schedule visit www.eastriverferry.com.